As is known in the prior art, greens mowers are particularly useful in mowing golf course greens, which are known to require exacting mowing results to assure that the grass is cut consistently throughout the green. Traditionally, these greens mowers are either walk-behind type mowers or riding mowers.
Greens mowers generally employ a reel type mowing unit as opposed to a rotary type mowing unit. The clip rate of these reel type mowing units are of utmost concern due to the fact that the clip rate often determines the consistency and quality of the cut, which leads to improved turf health. Because of the time required to grow a mature green and the cost associated with therewith, it is extremely important that greens mowers operate properly and not damage the turf.
The term clip rate is generally understood to mean the ratio between the rotational speed of the reel and the corresponding speed of the traction or drive unit. The clip rate can often be measured by the distance between the locations of individual sequential grass cuts produced by the rotating reel blades successively moving over the grass. The grass between the locations of the cuts will necessarily be left taller than the cut grass at the cut locations. Consequently, the cut rate is vital to producing an optimum condition of the grass on the golf course green.
Golf course greens maintenance equipment traditionally has utilized internal combustion engines. A number of greens mowers are known in the art. Some are discussed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,429,110, and 4,024,996. Riding greens mowers with multiple or gang mowing units are the subject of U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,511,033, 3,668,844, 4,866,918, and 5,042,236. All of the recited patents referenced above are incorporated herein by reference. The mowers discussed in these patents all rely on an internal combustion engine as the primary source of power and a complex drive mechanism of drive belts, gears, and/or chains or a hydrostatic system for supplying power to the ground engaging wheels and additionally to the reel mowing units. However, there are a number of disadvantages associated with the use of a greens mower employing an internal combustion engine to power both the drive mechanism and the mowing unit.
As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, traditionally internal combustion powered greens mowers have a first disadvantage of preventing quick and convenient variation of the clip rate, because of the fixed mechanical relationship between the drive mechanism and the mowing unit. In other words, the fixed gear ratio defined by the drive belts, gears, and/or chains does not facilitate quick and convenient modifying of the clip rate without the changing of gear members or the use of variable transmissions. Consequently, the clip rate of a particular greens mower is often unchangeable without considerable time and effort.
Additionally, recently there has been an increased interest in greens mowers having a floating or articulating mowing unit. These articulating mowing units have the ability to follow any undulations in the green more closely to provide improve cut quality over varying greens topography. However, it should be appreciated that the mechanical drive unit extending between the internal combustion engine and the articulating mowing unit is often complex and cumbersome due to the inherent need to continually provide drive power as the mowing unit articulates relative to the engine.
Still further, such conventional greens mowers often employ complex disengagement systems that the operator is required to actuate in order to engage and disengage the mowing unit. These systems often require the operator to actuate a lever separate from the handle, which may lead to undesirable cutting performance as the mowing unit is being disengaged.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the relevant art to provide an internal combustion powered greens mowers that is capable of consistently maintaining a desired clip rate that is both reliable and easily configurable. Additionally, there exists a need in the relevant art to provide an internal combustion powered greens mowers that can operably drive an articulating mowing unit without the need for complex mechanical drive systems. Furthermore, there exists a need in the relevant art to provide a greens mower having a simple and safe disengagement system to permit the quick and convenient turning on and off of the mowing unit. Lastly, there is a need in the relevant art to provide a greens mower that overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art.